Indian Antiquary Vol 55

SR No.: 032547
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Richard Carnac Temple, Stephen Meredyth Edwardes, Krishnaswami Aiyangar
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1985
Total Pages: 370
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 16 MB

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112
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[ SEPTEMBER, 1926
with by some twenty of the crew against the will of the others and had recruited her complement of 100 men elsewhere. Moreover the Company had itself lost Rs. 50,000 on her and the value of Rs. 1,00.000 on the Satisfaction (Surat Diary, 3rd and 8th April 1697). On the 5th March the Mocha was at the Maldives, but the King refused to trade with her. Some time between thể 15th May and 15th July she plundered another of Abdu'l Ghafür's ships (Surat to Manila) of provisions and took out of her 12 or 14 lascars and also the native pilot, whom thoy intended to use as a guide in the Red Sea (Surat Diary, 30th August, 1697). On the 30th May they took a rich Portuguese ship bound for Macao with the Governor on board (probably the ship mentioned by Kelly) off Diamond Point in Sumatra. Captain Ralph Stout going ashore for water was killed by some Malays whose boat he had boarded. 86 Robert Culliford was now elected Captain. On the 9th July he met the Dorrill (Captain Samuel Hide), a Company's ship bound for China, in the Straits of Malacca. The pirates, though at first meeting they had hoisted a broad red pennant, hesitated about attacking her, and when the fight began it was only by threatening to resign his command that Culliford could keep his men to their guns. Even so, after the loss of only two men, they took the excuse of & wounded mast to force him to break off the engagement. On the other hand the Dorrill lost so many men and was so badly damaged that when she arrived at Achin she was forced to give up her voyage to China. After some further plundering the pirates dismissed Willock and their other prisoners in & Java ship, which was one of their captures, on the 22nd December. Willock managed to reach the Negrais in safety (Willock': Narrative). After this the Mocha seems to have cruised to the westward, for she arrived at St. Mary's in May 1698 and found in the harbour a French ship, commanded by a Captain Ley or Sey. Culliford plundered her of £2,000 in money, wine, clothes, hats, etc., and recruited a number of her men (Sloane MS., 2902, f. 230). At St. Mary's also be found Captain Kidd (See para. 457 below).
445. On the 6th April 1698 the Sedgwick reported at Madras, that after leaving Anjengo on her return voyage she had been taken off Cape Comorin by the Dutchman Chivers in the Algerine Galley ( the New Soldado. See para, 463 below) of 250 tons, 150 men, 28 guns and 24 cars, after a pursuit with sails and oars of nine hours. Her cargo not being of any use to the pirates, and the Captain offering Chivers a bowl of punch, the latter let them go free, after taking only some sails, cordage, cable &c. stores. (Madras to Fort St. David, 7th April, 1698).
446. When the British Government issued their Proclamation offering rewards for the arrest of Every and his comrades, they were well aware that unless energetic measures were undertaken for the suppression of the pirates, the trade with the East would soon be hopelessly demoralized. At the same time the demands on the fleet, owing to the war with France, made it impossible to send out any King's ships. It was therefore thought that private initia. tive might be appealed to in such an emergency. It will be remembered that in 1671 the Bombay Government (See pana. 331 above) had recommended the building of ships for the taking of pirates, which should be manned by volunteers who would be paid by results. Some of the Company's ships had already been commissioned to take pirates, and it was not uncommon in America for private ships to be engaged for service against both privateers and pirates. It was therefore no new move when Lord Bellamont, who had been appointed in 1695 88 Governor of New York and specially enjoined to take steps to prevent the fitting out of ships for piratical purposes in the Colonies, suggested the formation of a Syndicate for the despatch of a well armed and well manned ship under a trustworthy commander to Eastern Waters. Among others interested in the matter, he had consulted & Colonel Robert Levingston, who recommended Captain William Kidd as a suitable man for the purpose (Account .... by a
86 In a letter from Solomon Lloyd and William Reynolds to Madras, dated Achin 28th August 1697 (Ind. Of., 0.0. 6430) it was reported that the pirates murdered Stout at the Maldives, having found out that be intended to desort them.